A beautiful garden and well-watered lawn are just some of the details that can make the exterior of your home even more appealing. You can even raise this beauty by putting additional items outdoors such as gorgeous paving, various garden decorations, and outdoor furniture.

Aside from being just an ornament, outdoor furniture can be particularly beneficial for you because it can serve as another spot you can relax in during a particularly stressful day. Additionally, several studies found out that being around plants can improve mood and enhance memory – yet another reason for you to sit outside and be surrounded by plants even just for a few minutes a day.

Wood is one of the best materials you can choose to build your outdoor furniture. Apart from being in keeping with the tone of any garden (well, because it’s made of natural materials!), wood comes in different variations that can be durable enough to withstand the changing weather outdoors.

If you’re considering using wood for your outdoor furniture, here are some of the most ideal types of wood you can choose from:

Cedar

Also commonly used as roofing material, Cedar has high resistance to rot and insect infestation which makes it one of the best choices for outdoor furniture. Cedar is very durable and does not easily warp, which makes it suitable for outdoor use.

Acacia

Treated and sealed Acacia can resist cracking, rotting, and insects. It is one of the most popular choices for outdoor furniture because this wood type is easy to find. Acacia is an affordable wood material, too, because of the abundance of its supply.

Teak

Incredibly expensive, Teak is another leading choice when it comes to outdoor furniture. Despite its expensive price, some people still view having furniture made from Teak as great investments because this wood type introduces wonderful benefits: it doesn’t expand nor warp, it is weather resistant, moisture resistant, it does not rot, it repels insects, it’s extremely durable, and it’s low maintenance. You can also paint it easily if needed. The painters Surrey used to paint some of their teak chairs were amazing and did a fabulous job.

Are you familiar with the saying “Mend it, don’t end it?” Not only would these words be applicable to life and relationships, but it can also be applied when dealing with dilemmas on everyday objects, such as wood furniture, carpet and floors.

With carpeting, you can restore your carpets to almost new looking by hiring a good carpet cleaning company. A top rated carpet cleaning Calgary residents choose is Steele carpet cleaning. If they are too far gone and are not coming as clean as you like from cleaning, it might be time to consider replacing or switching to laminate or hardwood, f you prefer that look.

Sometimes, when we see our wooden floors or furniture starting to look ugly, worn out, and dull, it’s inevitable that some of us will prioritize getting rid of the unpleasant appearance as fast as we can; some of us might immediately jump to what seemingly is the quickest means to lose sight of an ugly floor – to have it replaced (if it’s a piece of furniture, have it thrown out and buy a new one).

In reality, replacement of your shabby-looking wooden items may not be the best (not even the quickest) thing to do to fix the problem. There are many advantages you can gain if you consider refinishing instead.

Think about this – especially if you are dealing with unsightly wooden floors – floor replacement calls for a total removal of your current flooring and installment of a new one. This could take at least several days to be completed. It would be messy, stressful, and definitely costly since you will be paying for the floor removal, too. Wood refinishing companies often deal with the reparation and restoration during refinishing jobs.

If you are thinking of replacing an old wooden furniture, on the other hand, think about the rarity of this old furniture piece of yours. If it is a really old piece, chances are, you would not find a piece of the same quality or design again. Or, keep in mind that antique pieces possess a natural charm and can be quite valuable. Having them preserved and restored might actually be a good move if you’re looking for genuine value.

Another reason it will be better to refinish than replace your wooden items is that refinishing and restoration would be the better choice for the planet. Once you save and make use of what you already have, you can help in reducing the serious waste problem our world is facing today.

Hardwood floors are one of the most exquisite flooring types out there. Floors made from natural wood has an effortless class.

Some of the downsides of hardwood floors include getting scratches and encountering discoloration because of age. Replacement of hardwood floors can be really expensive since aside from buying fresh construction materials, you have to pay for labor from the removal of your old hardwood floors to the installation of the new one.

Wood refinishing is an amazing way you can have your hardwood floors restored to their pristine, lustrous condition. Professional wood refinishing companies can help you save money and save you from the hassle of having your entire floor replaced.

Wood refinishing companies will calculate the expenses based on either of the two things: the hours it took for them to completely refinish your floors or the size of the total floor area they have refinished. Most of the time, wood refinishing companies will also make necessary restoration steps if your wooden floors need repairs, and the extent of the damages your floor has will be included in the final bill.

Therefore, you have to make adequate preparatory steps so the professional wood refinishers can finish their jobs faster – especially if they charge by the hour worked.

First of all, you have to clear out the room with floors to be refinished. Remove every piece of furniture and place them in an area that would not be treated. If your entire house will be refinished, see if you can move your furniture to the garage in the meantime.

Make sure that even wall decorations are removed as well as any hanging lights or décor – this is to prevent them being covered in dust after the professionals completed sanding of your floors. If you can’t remove hanging lights or chandeliers, at least cover them.

Refinishing wood will always be better when done by a professional – the work is insured, you can expect the work to be completed faster, and, it would be more convenient for you as you could use your time doing something else if you hire an expert.

But, if you really want to refinish your wooden furniture or floors yourself, there are some common mistakes you should avoid. Sometimes, wood refinishing mistakes can lead to permanent damage to your valuables.

A mistake commonly committed by do-it-yourselfers is not using the proper sanding materials. Sanding is a very important step you should do before you apply a new stain to the wood. And you have to remember that not all sandpapers are the same. Sandpapers have different grits and types, and the grit and type you must use would depend on the type of wood you are working on.

Not having complete refinishing equipment is another typical mistake. Paintbrush, paint stripper, wood coatings, and sandpapers are not enough to complete the refinishing job. Don’t forget your own safety and wear protective items to prevent inhalation of toxic vapor or fumes.

The mistake of not planning how to strategically paint an item or floor is common, too. Sometimes, if your plan to paint your furniture isn’t well thought out, you can damage your own refinishing progress. Don’t forget to paint the areas underneath your furniture before you proceed to apply stain on the top portion, and the best way to do this is to turn the furniture upside down.

Manually sanding your wooden furniture can be really exhausting, but even so, don’t forget to wipe off the dust particles after sanding. Some people don’t wipe the dust off effectively enough that some particles are left on the surface. These dust particles will impact the overall outcome of staining and might even make your furniture unsightly.

Wooden furniture can be very elegant and they never become outdated. Wood can also last for quite a long time if given the proper care and maintenance. Maintenance of wooden furniture includes having it refinished after years of being used.

Wood refinishing can make your wooden furniture brighter, and can even protect it from quick deterioration if done right. However, it can be tempting to refinish pieces of wooden furniture yourself, particularly if these furniture pieces are not quite big that a refinishing job doesn’t seem very challenging.

But, if you are not a wood refinishing professional, it might be best if you just put the brush down and call in the experts instead, and here are some reasons why:

Wood refinishing could take a lot of time – Wood refinishing doesn’t just call for repainting wood, the entire process requires sanding and cleaning, too. Wood sanding and cleaning are imperative if you want the coating to become even and flawless. Wood sanding itself can take a long time to be completed; but if you hire a pro to do the job, they can finish the job much faster than you because of their experience.

Wood refinishing can trigger various health issues – Wood dust is the unavoidable consequence of sanding, and coming in contact with wood dust can lead to various health concerns. Inhalation can affect the respiratory system, ingestion can lead to digestive issues, and other issues such as eye and skin irritation.

Improper wood refinishing can cause irreparable damage – Different wood types may need different types of coating, and if you are not particularly skilled in knowing which coating types are compatible to certain types of wood, you may just damage your furniture. You wouldn’t only have to worry about the type of coating that would be safe for your furniture, you would also have to determine the right amount of coating that needs to be applied. Too much or too little coating could just make your wooden furniture look bad.